Brazil Climate Summit: A truly ambitious package remains elusive

This year's climate summit delivered tangible progress toward a global transition, but missed important opportunities for financing and phasing out fossil fuels. Ten years after the landmark Paris Agreement, a package should have been in place that would make a real difference for the communities bearing the brunt of the climate crisis. Unfortunately, that promise has not been fulfilled.

No agreement on phasing out fossil fuels

More than eighty countries asked for a concrete 'roadmap' for the phasing out fossil fuels – the essence of any credible climate plan. Yet, such a trajectory is completely absent from the final text. The Brazilian presidency simply postpones the discussion to COP31, without clarity on who should take which steps. 

The G20 (an informal forum of the world's twenty major economies, comprising 19 countries and the European Union) and a number of countries that profit heavily from oil and gas deliberately hindered further progress. Belgium Fortunately, he joined the group of countries that want a step-by-step plan for phasing out fossil fuels. But in reality, even the most ambitious countries, such as the EU, not being the first and fastest to phase out fossil fuels. They also aren't promising any additional funding to make this possible. Without fairness, cooperation, and sufficient resources, a future without fossil fuels remains highly uncertain.

Money remains the biggest problem at the climate summit

Without enough money to finance the energy transition, promises to phase out fossil fuels remain empty. The EU remained very reluctant to commit additional public funds until the very end. This means that the bill is once again being passed on to countries that have contributed least to the climate crisis. At the same time, many countries are saving on development aid and climate budgets, just when the needs are greatest.

For many African countries, financing was the crucial issue: they are already struggling with extreme drought, flooding, and food insecurity. Only 6 to 7% of what they actually need is currently being financed — there is certainly a lack of funding. 300 billion euros per year. The promise to triple adaptation funding was watered down, and the deadline was postponed from 2030 to 2035, even though the consequences are already severe.

Finally, attention for workers, women and indigenous peoples

The summit ended with a victory for workers worldwide and for civil society. For the first time, 194 countries reached an agreement on the outlines of a just transition, with strong references to human rights, labor rights, the rights of indigenous peoples, social dialogue and the inclusion of VrouwenCountries must now include these principles in their national climate plans.

The need for this is crystal clear. Today, workers labor in extreme heat without protection, people lose their jobs without social security when coal sites close, and communities face land grabbing for mineral extraction. The climate summit finally recognizes that phasing out fossil fuels is not a technocratic exercise, but directly affects jobs, income, land, and rights.

On the climate summit in Turkey Next year, a formal mechanism should further develop these agreements and translate them into concrete support and guarantees.